The Next Xbox Will Require an Internet Connection To Start Games, Sources Say

Two Kotaku sources have added more credence to the rumor that the next Xbox, expected to battle the PlayStation 4 in late 2013 or early 2014, will be an always-online system, though it will be able to tolerate dropped connections.

Lol, how can people disagree with that? I suppose if you have a wonderful internet connection at all times, you just don't care about it. However, I'm in a situation where my internet connection is NOT stable. Anything that HAS to be online to start or play, I will not buy, period. That's why I didn't pre-order SimCity despite being super excited about the announcement of it. Won't touch that game til/if it goes offline.

I have no problem with always on DRM whatsoever and if MS chooses to use it, I'm back them 100%. This is just my opinion of course, it doesn't mean you have to agree with me or anything. Have a good day gents.

I really hope your kidding. This idea is terrible period! I know MS has better network than Sony, but they have been down before and even for days. No network, no matter how good it is, cannot prevent stuff like that. Lets not forget people who don't have internet, outages, ect ect.

No connection = no gaming, pretty much you have a useless console on you're hand.

Look at Sim City, just one of the outcome of always online.

I really really really hope this rumor is 100% false. I like taking my console to places also, and I'm sure there are plenty of others who do the same.

@thechosenone - Yeah, my point exactly, YOU don't care. A lot of people actually do though, and whether you know it or not, there are still quite a few people around the world who don't have access to an internet connection at all. How do you think they'd feel about this?

im pretty certain that if all these things about the next XBox end up being true ... it's safe to say that the people that actually buy it are either diehard brainwashed fanboys, or clueless casual gamers.

As I have said before, I will so say again, there is no such thing as a constantly stable network connection. MS will shoot themselves in the foot if they do this. Especially with countries that just don't have the infrastructure for such a move.

That being said, this is Kotaku and I don't care if they've been right before, I don't trust them.

I said I'd back MS if they chose to use it always on DRM, I never said anything about Sony. And since I don't really like DRM on my system I'll go with Sony and the PS4 for my next-gen gaming needs. Good luck to you MS, I wish you the very best.

what's with all the comments here that say that we have to wait for MS official word?

rumors about the PS4 turned out to be almost 100% accurate, Eurogamer even mentioned that some devs were told by Sony that they might go with 8gb of ram on the final build and not the 4 on the dev kits

this is a rumor reported by multiple websites for months, MS might change their plan at the last moment and remove it, but now you can pretty certain that it's true

Thank you thechosenone. Why are so many people getting worked up about this? Just bite the pillow and push that Microsoft Branded Dildo further up your asshole. You took it for years already, what is a little bit more now?

@ snookies I said something similar when I heard the concept of live."Pay for online haha yea right, no one will buy that crap" Well I was proven wrong and ended up buying a 360 despite how insane at the time paying extra for features already on the game sounded ,and im afraid the same will happen here..

But unlike most n4g im just gonna wait til we get full info before I form an opinion.

@ blindguardian That makes no sense at all.Bottom line its a rumor and to be taken with a grain of salt no matter who the rumor comes from.If you see fault in waiting for official word then you need to be evaluated.

So true. My brothers are moving to a new home and its located in a rural area where the major internet providers do not provide service to. (ATT and Comcast)

My older brother is a major Xbox supporter, but I can see if he would not be able to buy the next Xbox on launch and play at least single player games and campaign, he would flip and probably not even get one.

i'm sure M$ have will consider this option, for now nothing is sure about the neXtbox but there are so many of these articles going round that this might be true.

sure there will be a backlash towards M$ for doing something like this but they might go ahead with it anyway simply because there whole system might be so kinect2.0 + internet connection depended it's might as well include this DRM feature..

i'm sure hackers will find other ways to get there way, but as always is the case with DRM, the legit users will suffer for it.

Highly Doubt it, but N4G already has the rumor scale in the green with "hard to tell. In other words they want it to be true.

When will you fanboys learn.

EDIT: I don't approve of this rumor because its stupid. the majority of people aren't ready for a potential "DRM console" its dumb rumor. A rumor that MS could very well be testing, but can't see MS going for that in the final hardware stages.

If that was the case then MS console won't be a real gaming console, at all.

its true! if it wasnt then M$ would deny it. if someone said i was a woman beater i wouldnt just stay quite i would deny it because its not true and denying things that are not true do not hurt you. MS is like jodi arias.

They wouldn't deny it. Because it gives away details one way or the other. Basically, people would just start making up things to figure it all out. If they deny it, it's false. If they say nothing, it's true. See how that works? They don't want to give out details until they are ready, then it'll all be out. They will acknowledge true claims and deny the claims that turn out false.

Honestly, I think people need to just chill and wait for the announcement.

It says they can handle dropped connections so that may be all it is. To make sure the disc being inserted into the console is a legit copy. They may have a fallback. Like no connection means no achievements. Iduno, but I just can't see them denying everyone without a connection.

If that thing about installing the games completely is true, then they CAN'T have a console that can go offline. It would be hacked and people would just not have to ever put it near an internet connection to be able to keep it the way they want it. They will even find out ways to get the games on the hard drive then without even requiring a disc because Microsoft made it so easy with the full installs just like with the current 360. So making it always online eliminates piracy then.

For me its not an issue I have a good internet connection and in away the XBOX is kind of like this as to play videos you need an internet connection at all time so its just a step up from this.

I do see it being a deal for some people but im sure 90% of gamers now have an internet connection at home now anyway and that all there consoles are connected to the network 24/7 with an internet connection.

I would like to see a survey done of how many people who have a current console don't use any of its online parts and also of who is going to get a WiiU, PS4 and Next xbox and only play it offline as they are missing out on a big part of the software and point of the new console.

I do hope they don't block used games though. I don't buy used games unless it for an old consoles but I know a lot of people who buy used games and I think this would have an impact on how many users buy a console if a percentage of users cant buy used games.

Not to mention, if the following rumors are true, it won't look good AT ALL:

1) Blocks used games 2) Weaker the PS4 (I know, but it actually does count) 3) Can't match up with the Vita/Gaikai/PS4 thing.

Sony's customers are going to be able to play PS1/2/3/4 games on the go. Not so sure what you're gonna do about that, M$. Well, unless you go and shell out a handheld in less than 6 months. I mean, we can't play on a 'touch screen smart glass'...

I don't know why people disagreed with you, you're right. Always online is such a retarded idea. Then again, MS going with more of a casual focus over the core was a retarded idea too but that didn't stop them.

The always on will make or break what console I buy. I rent property and move fairly often. Getting an internet connection hooked up in the UK can take over a month, a month I would want to spend playing single player games offline. Always on wouldn't be convenient for me personally.

I agree, I just really don't see how in their right minds they think this will fly. I like the 360 a lot, I've been called a MS fanboy on this site more than once and I don't know if I want a gaming console that I couldn't play at all, without an internet connection. I just don't see why they would completely cut out many potential buyers off the top that may not even have an internet connection. It just doesn't make any sense to me at all. Maybe as a onetime thing to get a game to activate, or who knows, but I think it would be a mistake for them to require a internet connection just to play games, I mean without an internet connection it’s completely useless? How could anyone ever think that’s a good idea?

More rumors, hopefully we get everything sorted out soon and can stop with the nonstop rumor mill, these are starting to get a bit old, especially when the actual consoles aren't in anyone's hands yet.

Except this is something MS can wholly gloss over at E3. They might come clean afterward, but anyone hearing about the system from the public press is going to kind up being blind-sided.

Edit: Yes. Yes they can. They just have to ignore it in the public press. They certainly wont be bringing it up in advertising. Not unless they're doing as I expect and throwing in with cable providers. Offer the console as part of a package/leasing deal with a cable/internet subscription.

I think from E3 until November is too short a time to just cover up something like that, they will have to let people know up front.

I highly doubt this, I doubt most of the rumors around the next Xbox, especially when there hasn't been a credible source at all, bottom line is that nobody knows, it is true the dev kits might have an always online feature so Microsoft can keep track of them for potential leaks, it could be nothing but false reporting, we don't know at this point.

what do you mean as far as you are aware? MS hasn't even announced the existence of the system, yet you're aware? There is a wise saying, "Don't believe everything you read on the internet." Especially from so called "journalists" who are screaming for hits. It's not too much over half the people on the 360 have live, why on earth would they do that? There is still no creditable information that makes this viable.

Wow I hope this aint true. Ms would be shooting themselves in the foot with this move. Can u imagine your casual consumer buying the nextbox & they get home & throw in a game only to see it say "Connect Online To Start Up Game" & the consumer doesnt even have online. That would suck.